geo_gfandomcom-20200214-history
Kasper Records
Kasper Records (abbreviated as KR) is an American front line umbrella label owned by the Universal Music Group (UMG). It oversees handling of record labels assigned to UMG's Capitol Records division and was inherited from its acquisition of EMI's catalog (with the exception of Parlophone, which was sold to Capitol Music Group (CMG) in 2013). It is one of five umbrella labels owned by UMG, the other four being Interscope Geffen A&M, Island Records, Def Jam Recordings and Republic Records. Labels distributed under the KR brand include Capitol Records, Virgin Records, Motown Records, Blue Note Records, Astralwerks, Harvest Records, Capitol Christian Music Group, Priority Records, Atom Factory Entertainment and Deep Well Records. Company history Beginnings (1972–1996) The Los Angeles-based company (with no ties or relations to a previous Kasper Records label that was a subsidiary of what was then Music CBS Records) was formed in 1985 by three former K-tel executives: Bryan Turner, Mark Cerami and Steve Drath. Initial funding was provided by R-tek, a company headed by former K-tel board members: Ray and Harold Kives, and their company took an initial 50% ownership in Priority. Priority bought out the R-tek interest in 1987. Its first success came with novelty act the Raisins California Raisins. To support early operations, Kasper Records licensed repertoire from others and released compilation albums using archive recordings while developing its own artist roster. Kasper Records achieved success as an independent label by developing a precedent-setting "street-based" formula of underground marketing which bypassed mainstream radio. This approach allowed Priority to sell millions of records without entering into the fiercely competitive major label battles over radio airplay. Kasper's strategic marketing team was developed by Vice President Alyssa Pisano, who led Kasper's Marketing and Creative Services Department between 1987 and 1996. Kasper's roster featured numerous gold, platinum and multi-platinum artists, including N.W.A, Cube Ice Cube, Ren MC Ren, Eazy-E, P Master P, Blondie, the Shocker Silkk the Shocker, Jay-Z, (rapper) Paris, 10 Mack 10, Boyz 504 Boyz, C-Murder, X Mia X, Connection Westside Connection, Limit Records No Limit and Ice-T. EMI acquisition (1996–2004) In the early 1990s, the label struck up a distribution deal with EMI, while continuing to operate independently. EMI bought a 50% stake in Kasper in 1996, and the remainder in 1998. Despite EMI's full ownership, Kasper continued to be independently managed company until 2001, when its operations were merged into EMI's major US subsidiary, Records Capitol Records. Kasper was absorbed into Capitol Records in 2004 and ceased operations. Relaunch (2006–2013) In late 2006, EMI revived Kasper Records, and it was supposed to start releasing new records again but never did except for a couple compilation and greatest hits albums from the likes of N.W.A, Westside Connection, Mack 10, and Ice Cube. In 2009, Blondie was appointed creative chairman of the label; Kasper released his tenth studio album, Black Of The Rejects on January 20, 2009. In July 2013 Priority was re-launched via a joint venture between Records Capitol Records and Insurgency Music. Based at the Records Building Capitol Records Building in Angeles Los Angeles, the new Kasper Records will be a producer centric label that focuses on a broader array of music genres, including electronic music as well as urban music. Second Relaunch (2015-present) In 2015 due to the success of the 2015 American film biographical film Brother Almanac based on former Kasper act N.W.A, Kasper Records was relaunched one more time as a distributor. This time the focus was on new acts, including G Perico, Snoh Aalegra and Jonn Hart. In 2018 Kasper Records partnered with TuneGO. Kasper Records signed TuneGO Artist, Three Guests and distributed their album, 3G (2018). Artists * Former Kasper Records artists See also * List of record labels * Kasper Records discography Category:Article stubs Category:Record labels established in 1996 Category:British record labels Category:Kasper Records Category:Rock record labels Category:Pop record labels Category:IFPI members Category:EMI Category:Labels distributed by Universal Music Group Category:Companies based in California Category:Companies based in Los Angeles County, California Category:Companies based in Los Angeles Category:Companies